1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the area of computer-facilitated communications over networks, and more particularly related to techniques for providing a collaborative platform that includes one or more messaging environments, in each of which users interested in one or more subjects can communicate by way of instant messaging, file sharing, electronic mailing, and remote screen capturing, wherein the collaborative platform is designed to be non-intrusive in view of other communication systems available today.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet is a data communication network of interconnected computers and computer networks around the world and has been rapidly evolving to the point where it combines elements of telecommunications, computing, broadcasting, publishing, commerce, and information services into a revolutionary new business infrastructure. The economy on the Internet is growing in every aspect of life, a wide range of businesses including stock trading, commodities, products, and services ordering are all via the Internet.
A modern enterprise operates largely on the ability to quickly share information or respond to changing information via the Internet. Electronic messaging systems such as email and instant messaging have provided convenient tools for contacting or keeping in touch with people or groups of people efficiently. These systems provide fast and inexpensive means for individuals to communicate and collaborate. Reliance on the electronic communication has increased even more remarkably with the globalization and trend of outsourcing. As technology advances, it is certain that organizations, large or small, will become more dependent on the electronic messaging systems to excel in a competitive environment.
One popular type of electronic messaging systems is electronic mail or simply email that facilitates users to carry on “conversations” with other computer users. Although Internet telephony allows actual real-time voice conversations, email ensures guaranteed delivery of messages even if one side is not currently present (i.e., online). For users interested in a subject or working on a related project, email provides collaborative means to share ideas and data, and for discussion so as to keep all in a loop. However, one of the unwanted features with the email systems is Spam that is unsolicited email messages. Spammers typically send a piece of email in millions to a distribution list of email addresses, expecting that some of the readers will respond to the email. It is reported that some email accounts could receive thousands of unwanted email in a day. Spam has become a major problem for all Internet users.
In addition, unwanted or expected email with attachments, large or small, as file sharing are often received from co-workers or known individuals. Although such email with attachments is not considered as a Spam, they nevertheless take up a significant portion of the bandwidth of a network and could choke the network when the size of the email is enormous, resulting in a negative impact on the operation and efficiency of the network. Many enterprises have to implement a policy to prohibit company wise distributions of large email.
To keep communications private among those sharing common interest, instant messaging (sometimes called IM) is getting popular and quickly becoming another preferable communication tool to complement the email. IM provides a mechanism to easily see whether chosen friends or co-workers are connected to the Internet and, if they are, to exchange messages with them in real time. Instant messaging differs from the ordinary email in the immediacy of the message exchange and also makes a continued exchange simpler than sending email back and forth. However, unlike email, the IM requires that all communicating parties must be present before an IM session can take place. The IM also restricts file sharing among the parties, although a peer-to-peer IM session allows file transferring between two parties.
What a modern enterprise desires is a true collaborative environment in which co-workers or individuals involved can share information and data, and participate in discussion confidentially without intrusions from others, regardless where they are and in what time zone. Email and IM each provide some features desired for a true collaborative environment but none offers all. The present invention discloses a collaborative platform that facilitates such requirements. Besides providing a non-intrusive communication platform, the present invention also provides data mobility to users.